# Gentrification influences mosquito community composition at neighborhood and county levels in Miami-Dade County, Florida

## TL;DR

Gentrification in Miami-Dade County changes mosquito populations, increasing disease-spreading species like Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes aegypti.

## Contribution

This study is the first to link gentrification metrics with mosquito community changes in urban areas.

## Key findings

- Gentrification significantly affects mosquito richness and community composition at neighborhood and county levels.
- Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes aegypti are more abundant in gentrifying areas, contributing to 31% of community variation.
- Findings highlight the need for targeted mosquito control in gentrifying urban neighborhoods to prevent disease spread.

## Abstract

Gentrification is occurring across urban areas in the United States and poses threats to marginalized and vulnerable communities through displacement, disruption of social networks, and worsening health outcomes. Gentrification is both a social and environmental process, affecting socioecological factors responsible for driving mosquito abundance and community composition. Our study aims to investigate how gentrification in Miami-Dade County, Florida, affects the alpha and beta diversity of mosquito communities. We relied on data from the Miami-Dade County Mosquito Control Division from 2020 to 2024, paired with data from the American Community Survey, to analyze changes in mosquito community composition based on gentrification status. Our results show that gentrification, measured by changes in home value, age, race, and education, significantly affected mosquito richness and community composition at county and neighborhood levels. Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes aegypti, primary arbovirus vector species, were more abundant in gentrifying areas, representing 31% of community composition variation compared to non-gentrifying areas. These findings have important implications for improving mosquito-borne disease preparedness and response in urban settings.